Heathrow Airport

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) measures in place and  (b) risks were identified under number 3.1.2 B of the business project objective 3.2.1, Airport and airspace capacity and operations, in the Project Heathrow project delivery and risk report versions of (i) 23 January 2008 and (ii) March 2008, with a proximity designated as immediate; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 23 March 2009
	Heathrow risks for January 2008 and March 2008 were recently released and will be published on the Department's website. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Manchester-Southport Railway Line

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will include the level of disruption to Manchester-Southport rail services on the morning of Thursday 19 March on the agenda of his next franchise review meeting with Northern Rail.

Paul Clark: Officials in the Department for Transport met with Northern Rail on 25 March and performance was discussed; this included disruption on 19 March. The Secretary of State for Transport is content that the underlying issue was a points failure and that Northern Rail made every effort to restore services as quickly as possible.

Caucasus: Conflict Prevention

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 25 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 17-19WS, on conflict resources 2009-10, how much funding will be allocated to conflict prevention in the Caucasus in 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Approximately £4 million has been allocated to conflict prevention work and international secondments to peacekeeping missions in the Caucasus. This is in addition to the UK's assessed contributions to the UN Peacekeeping mission in Georgia (UNOMiG); and UK contributions to the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy budget and the costs of the Organisation Security and Co-operation in Europe field missions in the region.
	Further details on changes to funding of projects and future activities were set out in my letter to the chairman of the European scrutiny committee of 25 March 2009, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Finance

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2009,  Official Report, column 625W, on departmental public expenditure, who the budget holders with devolved responsibility are; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office operates a mechanism of devolved budget responsibility. Budgets are initially devolved to director-generals and those responsible for the delivery of the departmental strategic objectives. These are further devolved to directors and heads of mission.

Departmental Finance

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 217-20W, on departmental public expenditure, what guidance has been given to budget holders with devolved responsibility on managing the funding implications of adverse exchange movements; and if he will place a copy of this guidance in the Library.

David Miliband: All budget holders are aware that they must manage the expenditure falling within their devolved budgets to take account of such contingencies.
	Budgets are supplemented for overseas price mechanism adjustments from the centre.

Departmental Finance

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2009,  Official Report, column 625W, on departmental public expenditure, when the next quarterly review process is expected to be completed; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent quarterly review.

David Miliband: The quarterly review takes place after each quarter end throughout the financial year. The next quarterly review will take place at the end of June 2009.
	The quarterly review does not culminate in a report that can be placed in the Library of the House.

Hezbollah

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2009,  Official Report, column 28W, on Hezbollah, on what basis he concluded that political contacts with Hezbollah's political wing would now be productive; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Following the Doha Agreement of May 2008 and further positive political developments in Lebanon, we consider that targeted contacts with Hezbollah politicians will provide an opportunity to speak frankly and directly about state-building in Lebanon, regional stability and the peace process. We will also continue to re-iterate the need to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in full. Our policy allows us to recognise the legitimate political role that Hezbollah plays in Lebanon, while taking a tough stance on terrorism.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the number of  (a) rockets and  (b) mortar shells fired at Israel since 3 February 2009 from (i) Gaza and (ii) Lebanon; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Since 3 February 2009 there have been two rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon. The Israeli authorities report that from 13 February 2009 to 6 March 2009 there were 63 rockets and 43 mortars fired at Israel from Gaza.

Overseas Trade: Prices

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1250W, on overseas trade: prices, on how many occasions Ministers in his Department attended meetings to discuss the withdrawal of support for the overseas price mechanism; which Ministers from his Department attended these meetings; and when the meetings were held.

David Miliband: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and Officials have discussions with a variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Overseas Trade: Prices

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1250W, on overseas trade: prices, what assessment was made by his Department of the merits of the withdrawal of support for the overseas price mechanism; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials discussed the comprehensive spending review with HM Treasury Ministers and officials prior to the announcement on the overseas price mechanism (OPM). These discussions covered the working of the OPM.

Bank Services: Loans

Sally Keeble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent assessment is of the extent to which banks which have been recapitalised by the Government are complying with their agreements to provide mortgages and commercial loans at 2007 levels.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary (Ian Pearson) on this subject on 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 254W.

Banks: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  with reference to his Department's press notice of 19 January 2009 on the Asset Protection Scheme, what criteria will be used to determine what proportion of the value of the security will be guaranteed;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's press notice of 19 January 2009 on the Asset Protection Scheme, what further due diligence will be undertaken in respect of securities identified as triple A rated before they are included in the scheme.
	(3)  with reference to his Department's press notice of 19 January 2009 on the Asset Protection Scheme, what the remit for the investigations by his Department into the proposed eligible assets for inclusion in the Asset Protection scheme is; and when he expects such investigations to be concluded;
	(4)  what the  (a) maturity profile and  (b) asset type is of each eligible asset of (i) Lloyds Banking Group and (ii) Royal Bank of Scotland insured under the Asset Protection Scheme.

Ian Pearson: In order to restore confidence to financial markets, the focus of the Asset Protection Scheme is on the most uncertain assets on the books of UK banks. Details of the eligibility criteria for the inclusion of assets in the scheme were set out in the Treasury's press notice of 26 February.
	The Treasury and its advisers have been working with participating banks to identify eligible assets and conduct due diligence on them.
	Further details are set out in the document on the UK Asset Protection Scheme that the Chancellor placed in the House Library on 27 February.

Members: Correspondence

Alistair Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Secretary to the Treasury plans to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for North East Bedfordshire of 24 November 2008 and 8 January 2009 on the Tax Credit Office.

Stephen Timms: The correspondence referred to could not be traced. The hon. Member's office has supplied copies and a reply should be provided shortly.

Members: Correspondence

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Northavon of 3 December 2008 on behalf of Mr A Edgington of Coalpit Heath, on membership of HM Treasury working party.

Angela Eagle: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.

Performing Arts

John Mason: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1193W, on Members: correspondence, what the cost to his Department was of engaging actors to contribute to training programmes organised by his Department in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The costs of using actors within training programmes are not separately invoiced and their use is not centrally recorded. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer Question 256549 tabled on 29 January 2009 by the hon. Member for Portsmouth South on tax credit; and what the reasons are for the time taken to answer.

Stephen Timms: I have now replied to the hon. Member and apologise for the delay, which was due to an administration error.

Liverpool Prison: Cemeteries

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Torbay of 19 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 71-3W, on Walton Prison: cemeteries, 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken to resolve  (a) any outstanding exhumation and funeral costs of and  (b) matters relating to DNA testing in respect of George Kelly;
	(2)  what the  (a) role and  (b) pay band is of the official in his Department responsible for resolving any outstanding issues in the George Kelly case;
	(3)  if he will direct the Corporate Management Board of his Department to make an assessment of his Department's handling of matters relating to the George Kelly case in the light of the representations it has received on the matter;
	(4)  how many submissions have been made to Ministers in his Department and its predecessor in respect of the George Kelly case, and on what dates; and what the  (a) role and  (b) pay band was of each official who (i) drafted and (ii) was copied in on each submission.

David Hanson: I will write to the hon. Member when I am in a position to do so and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Young Offenders

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the written ministerial statement of 8 May 2007,  Official Report, columns 6-7WS, on young adult offenders, what progress has been made on each of the nine proposals listed.

David Hanson: The Government are committed to further work to plan for appropriate provision to address the specific needs of young adult offenders (YAOs).
	A review of current policy for the management of young adults in custody is under way, and other work already completed or currently being taken forward includes:
	implementation of an improved protocol between the National Offender Management Service and the Youth Justice Board to ensure effective transition arrangements for young people moving to the young adult estate are put in place;
	provision of £500,000 to promote the use and evaluation of mentoring as part of the Offender Management package; and
	development of a pilot specification for a new YAO regime that will be designed to meet the needs of a sentenced young adult male population at HMP Isis, a new separate public sector prison within the existing HMP Belmarsh perimeter wall that will provide 624 places for 18 to 24-year-olds.
	A review has also been conducted to consider implementation of recommendation 16 of the Mubarek report. The conclusions of this work will be considered as part of the wider review of the management of young adults in custody referred to above.
	The initiatives that have been put in place, together with the work outlined above, build on previous schemes and continue to offer a positive and considered way forward for the management of young adult offenders.

Departmental Internet

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions his Department's website has been temporarily unavailable due to a technical problem in each year since 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: Prior to 21 June 2002 the Department's website was hosted by the Office of Government Commerce on shared servers. This service was shut down in 2002 and the required information is not available.
	Between June 2002 and February 2004 the Department's website was hosted by EDS. Recording of periods of unavailability is not available from this hosting contract and it would incur disproportionate cost to provide this.
	Between February 2004 to March 2007 the Department's website was hosted as part of a shared service run by the Office of the e-Envoy. During this period there were no occasions when the website was temporarily unavailable due to a technical problem.
	In March 2007, the Department's website transferred to a new managed service, shared with Directgov. Since then, the Department's website has been temporarily unavailable due to a technical problems as follows; five occasions between March 2007 and December 2007, 11 occasions between January 2008 and December 2008 and four occasions from January 2009 to date.

Drugscope: Finance

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding the charity Drugscope has received from the Government in each of the last 10 years.

Phil Hope: The following table shows the awards by the Department to DrugScope through the Section 64 General Scheme of Grants which funds voluntary organisations in England whose activities support the Department's policy priorities. Funding for DrugScope began in 2001-02 following the organisation's founding in 2000.
	The figures do not include any payments made to DrugScope from other budgets held by the Department or other Government Departments in respect of services commissioned from DrugScope.
	
		
			   Type of grant  Amount (£) 
			 2001-02 Core 460,000 
			 2002-03 Core 350,000 
			 2002-03 Project 80,000 
			 2003-04 Core 400,000 
			 2004-05 Core 400,000 
			 2005-06 Core 400,000 
			 2006-07 Core 300,000 
			 2007-08 Core 230,000 
			 2008-09 Core 230,000

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2009,  Official Report, column 225W, on hospital-acquired infections, if he will place in the Library the dataset used to calculate the 65 per cent. reduction in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus against the 2003-04 baseline.

Ann Keen: The data used to calculate the 65 per cent. reduction in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on the 2003-04 baseline were the October to December2008 national quarterly data published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
	These data show there were 676 reports in October to December 2008 and 7,700 reports in the baseline year 2003-04. This gives a quarterly average of 1,925 for the baseline year and 676 is a 65 per cent. reduction from this.
	These data are publicly available from the HPA quarterly counts of MRSA for October to December 2008 and financial year reports of MRSA from 2001-02 to 2005-06, which can be found at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1233906819629?p=1191942169773

Learning Disability

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to respond to the Health Service Ombudsman's Six Lives report.

Phil Hope: In 2007, following Mencap's report on the six deaths of people with learning disabilities, the former Secretary of State for Health commissioned Sir Jonathan Michael to carry out an Independent Inquiry into access to healthcare for people with learning disabilities. The report of that Inquiry—"Healthcare for All"—made 10 recommendations for improving access to healthcare for people with learning disabilities. A copy has already been placed in the Library. "Valuing People Now. a new three-year strategy for people with learning disabilities" which was published in January 2009 set out the Government's response to the Independent Inquiry's report and our acceptance of all 10 recommendations. A copy of the strategy has been placed in the Library.
	We are saddened at the Ombudsman's report and the cases of all the people who died, particularly when up to two of the deaths could have been prevented. We welcome this report and accept its recommendations.
	Access to high quality healthcare is a right, and is essential in enabling people to lead healthy, active and fulfilling lives. The Government are committed to supporting and protecting the human rights of people with learning disabilities. All people with a learning disability are people first, with the right to lead their lives like any others, with the same opportunities and responsibilities and to be treated with dignity and respect.
	The action set out in "Valuing People Now", including a commitment to establishing a confidential inquiry to investigate premature deaths of people with learning disabilities, and the support we are providing at a local and regional level to improve training and awareness amongst health care staff will help people with learning disabilities to get access to the care they need. We have already introduced annual health checks for people with learning disabilities, and on 12 March, we launched guidance for primary care staff to support individualised health plans for people with learning disabilities.

Members: Correspondence

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to reply to the hon. Member for Eddisbury's letter of 23 April 2008, on Southern Cross.

Phil Hope: A reply was issued to the hon. Member on 9 June 2008.

Mental Health Services

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps he has taken to ensure the needs of mental health patients are met by specialist mental health services.

Phil Hope: Since 2001-02, real terms investment in adult mental health services has increased by 44 per cent. (or £1.7 billion), putting in place the services and staff needed to transform mental health services. Compared to 1997, we now have 64 per cent. more consultant psychiatrists, 71 per cent. more clinical psychologists and 21 per cent. more mental health nurses, providing better care for people with mental health problems (all full-time equivalent). More than 740 mental health teams provide specialist community mental health services, such as home treatment, early intervention, or intensive support for people who might otherwise be admitted to hospital.
	General practitioners and consultant psychiatrists decide on the most appropriate treatment for their patients, and they are expected to take National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance fully into account. Doctors can prescribe any medicine or treatment which they consider to be necessary, including NICE-approved psychological therapies for severe mental illness, provided that the local primary care trust (PCT) or national health service trust agrees to supply it on the NHS. However, it is for PCTs to decide spending levels for specific health care treatments and services, including mental health, and to commission these services.
	The Department revised Care Programme Approach (CPA) guidelines in 2008. Under CPA, each mental health service user should have an opportunity to be actively involved in agreeing their treatment plans with their care co-ordinator, wherever possible. This is not dependent on diagnosis, but may be affected by the severity of the condition at any particular time.

NHS: Complaints

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints to the Healthcare Commission he expects to be outstanding on 1 April 2009; and whether such complaints will be referred to the Care Quality Commission.

Ann Keen: The Department of Health, the Healthcare Commission (HCC) and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) have worked closely together to ensure a smooth transition to the reformed complaints arrangements, which come into force on 1 April 2009.
	In accordance with the casework transition plan agreed by the tripartite NHS Complaints Transition Board, there will be no complaints to the HCC outstanding on 1 April 2009. All cases being handled by the HCC have now been passed satisfactorily to the PHSO.
	The Care Quality Commission will not intervene in individual NHS complaint cases, so no cases will be referred to it from the HCC.

National Insurance Contributions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1384W, on national insurance contributions, for what reason the estimates assume a 20 per cent. take-up rate; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: National Insurance contribution data were used to show which people had eligible blank years on their record since 1975.
	We found that around half a million individuals reaching state pension age between 2008 and 2015 could increase their entitlement to basic state pension by purchasing deficient years from earlier in their working lives.
	While basic state pension entitlement could increase, for some people overall income may not because of the interaction with income related benefits, such as pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit. Married women also need to consider how much state pension they are entitled to, based on their husband's record, and when they will get it.
	Taking these factors into account, along with evidence from a previous Class 3 related exercise, our estimates assume a take-up of 20 per cent.

Social Security Benefits: Interest Rates

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1798W, on social security benefits: interest rates, what factors he takes into account when determining the  (a) capital limits and  (b) tariff income rules; when his Department last (i) reviewed and (ii) consulted on the limits and the rules; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: In any income related benefit scheme there is a point at which people with capital will have to use their resources to maintain themselves before having recourse to public funds.
	The current position is that for income support, employment support allowance (income related) and income-based jobseeker's allowance, the first £6,000 is disregarded (£10,000 for people permanently living in residential care and nursing homes). The upper capital limit is £16,000. For each £250 of capital (or part of £250) held between the appropriate lower and upper limits benefit is reduced by £1 per week.
	For pension credit the first £6,000 is disregarded (£10,000 for people living in a care home). There is no upper capital limit. For each £500 (or part of £500) above the appropriate lower capital limit benefit is reduced by £1 per week.
	Those customers in receipt of income support, employment support allowance (income related) and jobseeker's allowance (income based) or the guarantee credit element of pension credit will be passported on to full housing benefit and council tax benefit, regardless of the amount of capital held. For other claims to housing benefit and council tax benefit, capital of between £6,000 and £16,000 will affect entitlement at a rate of £1 per week for every £250 or part of £250 held over £6,000. For people who have reached the qualifying age for pension credit, benefit will reduce by £1 per week for each £500 or part of £500 on capital between £6,000 and £16,000.
	The capital rules in income related benefits are kept under continual review but they can be increased only when priorities and resources allow.

Social Security Benefits: Interviews

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provisions are in place for employment and support allowance claimants to be accompanied by a support worker, parent or friend to  (a) work capability assessment,  (b) work-focused, health-related assessment and  (c) work focused interviews.

Tony McNulty: All employment and support allowance customers who are asked to attend a work capability assessment and/or a work focused health related assessment are sent a letter with their appointment details. The letter confirms that customers are free to bring another person with them to their assessment if they wish.
	When arranging an appointment with the customer over the phone Atos Healthcare staff also advise customers who request that they would like to be accompanied at the assessment, that they can bring a companion with them and that if they have no one available to accompany them that Atos Healthcare can provide a chaperone.
	Before a work focused interview takes place, employment and support allowance customers are contacted by letter and by telephone and are informed that they can be accompanied. During the telephone contact, Jobcentre Plus staff also aim to identify any additional support that may be needed because of the customer's health condition.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 549-50W, on departmental surveys, if she will place in the Library a copy of her Department's most recent staff survey  (a) results and  (b) analysis.

Sadiq Khan: Results of all my Department's recent staff surveys, including the 2008 Pulse Survey, can be found on the Department's internet site at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/about/howwework/corporatereports/reportsaccounts/staffsurvey
	I have today placed in the Library a copy of the Power Point presentation prepared by Ipsos MORI on the results of the 2008 Pulse Survey.

Disabled Facilities Grants: Waltham Forest

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department is taking to end the suspension of the disabled facilities grants in Waltham Forest.

Iain Wright: Disabled facilities grant is a mandatory entitlement administered by local housing authorities under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. The implications of the disabled facilities grant legal framework is that following an assessment of need the local authority is required to provide a disabled facilities grant subject to a means test and grant maximum. Suspending disabled facilities grants is not an acceptable means of budget management.
	The Government have more than doubled the government funds available for the programme from £57 million in 1997 to £146 million in 2008 with an increase of £10 million in each of the next two years making the budget £166 million by 2010. For 2008-09 Waltham Forest received £630,000 in disabled facilities grant and an additional £47,000 was allocated to Waltham Forest last month. Local authorities are expected to priorities these services and contribute towards the costs of disabled facilities grants as they have always done so.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to reply to the letter to her of 26 January 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regards to Ms K Dowling.

Hazel Blears: I have now replied to my right hon. Friend's letter.

Rape: Victim Support Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality 
	(1)  how much funding the Government have provided to rape crisis centres  (a) in 2008-09 and  (b) in each year since 1997;
	(2)  which rape crisis centres receive Government funding; how much funding each  (a) has received in 2008-09 and  (b) will receive in 2009-10;
	(3)  which rape crisis centres that previously received funding from the Government have not received any such funding in 2008-09.

Maria Eagle: Government does not hold a record of rape crisis centres (members of Rape Crisis England and Wales, or its predecessor bodies) in existence over this period of time. As with other membership organisations, membership of Rape Crisis England and Wales, and its predecessors, has changed over time. There are also organisations which use the phrase 'rape crisis' in their organisational name, but which are not members of Rape Crisis England and Wales. This means it is difficult to be exact in identifying rape crisis centres separately from those sexual violence voluntary sector organisations which have received central Government funding. These factors make it difficult to provide exact totals of funds provided to rape crisis centres.
	Taking the above into account, the total of grants awarded from the Victims' Fund, Home Office funding for independent sexual violence advisors (ISVAs) and the special fund to rape crisis centres, for  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) each year prior to this where records are available are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Table 1: 
			   Total (£) 
			 2004-05 (1, 2)199,270 
			 2005-06 (1, 2)543,607 
			 2006-07 (1, 3)631,038 
			 2007-08 (3)862,315 
			 2008-09 (4)1,744,089 
			 (1) Please note that the starred figures include grants provided to the umbrella organisation, Rape Crisis Co-ordination Group, a predecessor to Rape Crisis (England and Wales). (2)Victims' Fund. (3)Victims' Fund and Home Office (ISVA) funding. (4)Victims' Fund, Home Office (ISVA) funding and Special Fund. 
		
	
	Approximately £50,000 in funding was provided to two rape crisis centres, Southampton and South Essex rape and incest crisis centre, over the period 2000-02.
	These figures revise those provided to PQ174510 of 23 January 2008 and PQ255614 of 24 February. I have written to the hon. Members concerned.
	The following table provides the approximated total of grants awarded to the umbrella organisation for years where records are available:
	
		
			  Table: 2 
			   Total (£) 
			 2008-09 (1)167,685 
			 2007-08 (2)75,000 
			 2006-07 (3)30,000 
			 2005-06 (3)30,800 
			 2004-05 (3)18,200 
			 2002-03 (4)432,000 
			 2001-02 (4)406,000 
			 (1 )Home Office and Government Equalities Office. (2 )Home Office. (3 )Victims' Fund. (4 )Central Government. 
		
	
	There is no record of funding prior to this.
	Tables of grants provided under the different funding streams for the years where records are available have been placed in the Commons Library. They provide  (a) a full list of recipients of victims' fund grants  (b) a full list of ISVA grant recipients and  (c) a full list of special fund grant recipients. Tables will show which organisations received funding in which years, including grants provided in the current financial year (2008-09).
	For the next financial year (2009-10):
	we have recently announced a £1.6million cross-Government fund for the sexual violence voluntary sector (members of Rape Crisis (England and Wales) and The Survivors Trust). Grants to individual groups will be made in due course;
	the Tackling Violence Action Plan published in 2008 includes a commitment to ensure all victims have access to an ISVA by 2011 and a new bidding round will be announced shortly;
	Victims' fund arrangements for 2009-10 will be announced shortly.
	The tables of grants placed in the Commons Library show:
	approximately twelve rape crisis centres which did not receive Victims' Fund support in 2008-09 had received grants from the fund in previous years;
	two rape crisis centres which had had independent sexual violence advisors in 2007-08 did not have ISVAs in 2008-09.
	Individual grant recipients, including members of Rape Crisis (England and Wales) can be identified from the tables. As already noted, Government does not hold records of the membership of Rape Crisis (England and Wales), or its predecessor bodies. Therefore, it is not possible to be definitive regarding which rape crisis centres (members of Rape Crisis England and Wales) did or did not receive grants in any given year.

Chemicals: EU Law

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what amendments his Department proposed to the EU Directive on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals during its drafting.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Negotiations to agree the final legal text of the EU REACH Regulation (no. 1907/2006) covered a three year period, from October 2003 to December 2006. DEFRA led for the UK during the negotiations, working alongside other Government Departments and taking account of industry and NGO views. The aim throughout was to secure a robust and workable regulation that balanced the interests of industry with a high level of protection for human health and the environment.
	Between July and December 2005 the UK held the presidency of the European Union, and during this time developed the text which secured political agreement as the Council's Common Position following the first reading in the European Parliament. A significant initiative put forward jointly by the UK, known as 'One Substance, One Registration' (OSOR) was incorporated into the Common Position. This was assessed at the time as potentially providing savings in registration costs for UK industry of up to €128 million over the 10-year registration period, compared with the original Commission estimates.
	During the second reading negotiations in the second half of 2006, the UK strongly supported initiatives to require substitution plans for hazardous chemicals subject to authorisation, and measures to further reduce animal testing and encourage development and use of non-animal alternative methods.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1007W, on departmental surveys, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's most recent staff survey.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Staff surveys are valuable tools used by Departments to help them improve performance. The results of the 2005 DEFRA survey are available on the civil service website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/news/staff_survey/index.asp
	The results of the pilot Civil Service Employee Engagement Survey in which DEFRA is participating are expected to be produced as a consolidated external publication in June 2009. The DEFRA results from the pilot will be published later in the year following communication and feedback from staff.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's policy is on the renewal of the contracts of  (a) temporary and  (b) agency staff.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The core-Department's policy on the renewal of the contracts of  (a) temporary and  (b) agency staff is to consider any such renewal in accordance with business need, value for money, the public procurement rules and, the consolidated employment legislation.

Dog Wardens: Finance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department has provided to local authorities to fund the work of dog wardens in each of the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA does not fund the work of dog wardens. In accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities are required to appoint an officer for the purpose of dealing with stray dogs found in their locality.
	With the commencement of section 68 of the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005 in April 2008, which relieves the police of the responsibility of dealing with stray dogs, additional funding of £4 million a year has been provided to local authorities in England and Wales through the Revenue Support Grant to cover additional costs of providing an out of hours' service for stray dogs.

Tourism: Rural Areas

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding is provided by his Department to promote rural tourism.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 27 March 2009
	 The Department for Culture Media and Sport, DCMS has lead responsibility for supporting or promoting rural tourism.
	However, the Rural Development Programme for England 2007-13, a joint EU-DEFRA funded programme, provides support to improve quality of life in rural areas and diversify the rural economy. This includes support to encourage rural tourism. Over the seven year life of the programme around €38 million (around £35 million), has been allocated to this measure.

Anti-terrorism Control Orders

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 275W, on control orders, whether her Department has made subsistence payments to  (a) the individual referred to in the answer and  (b) other individuals subject to a control order in 2009.

Vernon Coaker: The individual mentioned in the answer of 12 January 2009, who was assessed as being ineligible for employment related benefits for a short period as a result of the terms of his control order, did receive subsistence payments from the Home Office. I refer the hon. Member to the information in that previous PQ answer for a breakdown of these subsistence payments.
	Other individuals subject to control orders have also received subsistence payments as part of the asylum support arrangements while subject to control orders.

Binyam Mohamed

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 463W, on Binyam Mohamed, when she expects to be able to confirm the residency status of Mr. Mohamed.

Phil Woolas: We do not discuss the immigration status of individuals. However, as with any foreign national, consideration will be given as to whether their presence in the United Kingdom is conducive to the public good and, as always, all appropriate steps will be taken to protect national security.

Criminal Records Bureau

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 311W, on vetting: finance, under what budgetary headings the £88.2 million was spent; and what office accommodation is used by the Criminal Records Bureau for the processing of checks.

Shahid Malik: Information on expenditure has been published in the Criminal Records Bureau's (CRB) annual report and accounts 2007-08 which was laid before Parliament on 21 July 2008.
	The CRB uses office accommodation at three sites for processing Disclosure applications. Two of these sites are based in Liverpool, Merseyside and the third is in Darwen, Lancashire.

House of Commons: Right of Search

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will obtain and place in the Library a copy of  (a) the synopsis and  (b) the full report of Sir Ian Johnston of the British Transport Police into the entry into and search of the parliamentary office of the hon. Member for Ashford.

Vernon Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) on 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1830W.

Immigration: Manpower

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1638W, on immigration: manpower, how much her Department paid to  (a) the French authorities and  (b) private companies in 2008.

Phil Woolas: The figures for the amount paid to  (a) French authorities and  (b) private companies in relation to Border Force operations in France for period 2007-08 are as follows:
	  (a) French authorities: £41,100
	  (b) Private companies: £6.7million
	These figures are taken from the latest period for which financial accounts are available.

Members: Correspondence

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Totnes of 24 November 2008 and 22 January 2009 on advice to the Government on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 4 March 2009
	A reply was sent on 19 March 2009.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 26 January 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr Mohammad Nadeem.

Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 26 March 2009.

Terrorism

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the  (a) total cost and  (b) cost per person to train UK workers to respond to a terrorist threat was in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of people trained to deal with a terror attack in  (a) urban,  (b) suburban and  (c) rural areas; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The number of people trained to deal with a terrorist attack and the costs of their training are not held centrally. Training for staff who may be involved in responding to a terrorist attack in the UK is widespread and is delivered across a number of Government agencies and departments and by the private sector, including the owners and managers of public facilities, transport operators and managers and those responsible for maintaining the national infrastructure.
	The police National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) through local police Counter Terrorism Security Advisers (CTSAs) deliver "Project Argus", a scenario based training event to businesses to help them identify and recover from a terrorist attack. "Project Argus" is a series of products that is delivered by NaCTSO and CTSAs and is free at the point of delivery. "Project Argus" is one of a number of activities undertaken byNaCTSO and CTSAs and it is not possible to identify separate costs for running Project Argus events.

Terrorism: Crime Prevention

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 583-4W, on community relations, how much police forces in England and Wales have spent on Prevent-related projects and activities to date;
	(2)  if she will place in the Library a copy of the Association of Chief Police Officers' Strategy and Delivery Plan, referred to on page 49 of The Prevent Strategy: A Guide for Local Partners in England;
	(3)  what proportion of the money which has been allocated to police forces under the Prevent strand of Project Contest for 2008-09 has been spent on  (a) recruiting,  (b) training and  (c) paying community engagement and counter terrorism intelligence officers;
	(4)  how much police forces under the Prevent strand of Project Contest for 2008-09  (a) have been allocated for 2008-09 and  (b) is planned to be allocated for 2009-10 to each of the 24 police forces; how those police forces were selected; and how many community engagement and counter terrorism intelligence officer appointments have so far been made.

Vernon Coaker: Under the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) funding arrangements 2008-09 to 2010-11 OSCT are providing additional funding to establish over 300 new police posts across the country dedicated to the Prevent agenda. In 2008-09 we have costed around £12 million across 24 priority forces, and regional Counter Terrorism Units and Counter Terrorism Intelligence Units, the distribution of which was based on an assessment of population vulnerability and evaluated intelligence cross matched to the Department of Communities and Local Government's Preventing Violent Extremism areas. This includes provision for police officer and police staff training. Figures on recruitment costs are not held centrally.
	ACPO have advised that to date 154 Community Engagement and Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Officers have been appointed.
	We have also made the following funding available to the police this year to roll out police led Prevent programmes:
	£1 million for the Channel Project.
	£3 million for the 24 priority police forces to work with Government Offices and other partners to support PREVENT work in schools and education institutions including higher and further education.
	A joint funding package of £480,000 from the Home Office and the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) was given to The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to pay for the copyright of The Kids Taskforce Watch Over Me DVDs for three years supplemented by 60 training days for teachers and partners.
	£1,263,632 to police forces and local authorities, for 13 police led projects relating to Objectives two and three (supporting vulnerable institutions and vulnerable individuals) of the Prevent Strategy.
	£100,000 for ACPO national Prevent Conferences.
	£82,178 to ACPO for national communities tension monitoring.
	£4,598,961 to support the work of the National Prison's Intelligence Unit and Prison Intelligence Officers and Analysts within Special Branches of individual forces.
	In addition, the police have invested their own resources into Prevent activity at a force and regional level.
	Discussions about allocation of CSR resource and funding for police led Prevent Programmes in 2009-10 are ongoing.
	I have been advised by ACPO that their Prevent Strategy and Delivery Plan is protectively marked as a restricted document, however, they have produced an unrestricted version of their Implementation plan: 'Prevent: The policing Response to the Prevention of Terrorism and Violent Extremism' which they have made available to you. I have also arranged for copies to be placed in the House Library.

Departmental Press

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the forward planning grid for 2009 of his Department's  (a) News Department and  (b) Strategic Communications Department;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the unclassified version of his Department's strategic communications planning team's DFID News Diary for  (a) the week commencing 12 January 2009 and  (b) the week commencing 6 April 2009 referred to on page 31 of his Department's communications strategy;
	(3)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the checklist for preparing announcements, events, publications and speeches prepared by his Department's strategic communications planning department referred to on page 31 of his Department's communications strategy.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development's (DFID) forward planning grid, news diaries and checklist for preparing announcements, publications and speeches are for internal planning purposes only.

Sri Lanka: Internally Displaced Persons

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government have taken to assist displaced persons in Sri Lanka.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government have repeatedly pressed at the very highest levels that both parties to the conflict abide by their fundamental obligations under international humanitarian law and that the quantity and frequency of food and other relief shipments to the conflict areas be increased urgently.
	To strengthen international humanitarian response in Sri Lanka we are working closely in support of the UN in setting up a new multi-donor emergency response fund. This will be managed by the UN to provide a rapid response to assist displaced people. DFID has committed £5,000,000 of humanitarian assistance since September 2008. This has been used in the following ways:
	£1,500,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross for relief supplies such as food and plastic sheets for shelter and medical staff to treat the injured;
	£1,000,000 to Office of the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Refugees for activities such as overseeing the registration of internally displaced people (IDPs) and advocating to the Government of Sri Lanka for better conditions in camp settlements ;
	£250,000 has been committed to the International Organisation for Migration for trucking and logistical services;
	£250,000 has been committed to the World Food Programme for food delivery and logistical services to other organisations such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs);
	£335,000 has been committed to IOM for emergency assistance in IDP camps.
	£750,000 is under consideration for UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for setting up the multi donor Sri Lanka emergency response fund which will give funds quickly to NGOs once established; and
	£915,000 remains on hand ready to be flexibly programmed as the situation demands on the ground.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the numbers of people to be recruited into the armed forces over the next three years.

Bob Ainsworth: Current recruiting targets for the Royal Navy and Army over the next three years are in the following tables. It should be noted that recruitment targets are constantly being monitored and readjusted by the services and therefore these figures are liable to change.
	
		
			  Royal Navy 
			   Number 
			 2009-10 4,621 
			 2010-11 4,604 
			 2011-12 4,471 
		
	
	
		
			  Army 
			   Number 
			 2009-10 14,303 
			 2010-11 14,320 
			 2011-12 14,307 
		
	
	The current downturn in the UK's economy has caused marked changes in the current outflow rate of RAF Servicemen and as a result the forecast outflow rates for the next several financial years (FY) have also had to be reassessed.
	This means that the previously derived recruiting are currently having to be recalculated.

Departmental Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1558W, on redundancy, how many staff left his Department under staff exit schemes with a severance package worth  (a) between £100,000 and £125,000,  (b) between £125,001 and £150,000,  (c) between £150,001 and £200,000,  (d) between £200,001 and £250,000,  (e) between £250,001 and £500,000,  (f) between £500,001 and £1,000,000 and  (g) over £1,000,000 in each year since 2005-06.

Kevan Jones: To provide this specific information would require a departmental-wide trawl to ascertain the number and cost of involuntary and voluntary staff exits in each year since 2005-06. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	We do hold information centrally on the departmental-wide voluntary early release schemes which were launched in March 2005 and March 2008 (early retirement or early severance). The following table shows the number of staff who voluntarily left the Ministry of Defence in each year between 2005-06 and 2007-08, grouped by the cost of their severance package (over £100,000); and those who are due to leave in years 2008-09 and 2009-10. These early release schemes are expected to reduce the MOD Salary Costs by around £90 million over the period 2005-10. These early release schemes are expected to reduce the MOD salary costs by around £90 million over the period 2005-10.
	
		
			   £100,000-£125,000  £125,000-£150,000  £150,000-£200,000  £200,000-£250,000  £250,000-£500,000  £500,000-£1 million  £1 million plus  Total 
			 2005-06 62 47 43 10 5 0 0 167 
			 2006-07 37 43 60 16 8 0 0 164 
			 2007-08 103 70 107 16 8 0 0 304 
			 2008-09 35 19 31 21 10 0 0 116 
			 2009-10 32. 21 35 17 7 0 0 112 
			 Total 269 200 276 80 38 0 0 863 
		
	
	These figures include all those early departure costs met by the Ministry of Defence, including the cost of lump sum severance payments and the additional costs of benefits beyond the normal Principal Civil Service Pension scheme (PCSPS) benefits in respect of employees who retire early, and the capitalised costs of early payment of pension benefits.

Ex-servicemen: Tribunals

Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) veterans' tribunals and  (b) reviews of cases before veterans' tribunals there have been in each year since 2000.

Kevan Jones: Appeals from former service personnel under the War Pensions Scheme and from both service and former service personnel under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, are heard by the First-tier Tribunal, War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation, which is administered by the Tribunals Service, an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice. It was formally known as the Pensions Appeals Tribunal.
	The records for the number of appeals in respect of War Pensions Scheme (WPS) start in 2001 and relate only to veterans. The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) came into existence in April 2005 and the cases provided in the following table relate to both the serving and veterans communities.
	
		
			   WPS  number  AFCS  number 
			 2001 5,402 n/a 
			 2002 4,785 n/a 
			 2003 5,365 n/a 
			 2004 3,708 n/a 
			 2005 3,911 n/a 
			 2006 3,642 6 
			 2007 3,821 25 
			 2008 3,410 94 
			 2009 1,026 60 
			 Total 35,070 185 
		
	
	Data is not kept in a format that can identify reviews of cases before veterans' tribunals, therefore, this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Navy: Manpower

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) trained,  (b) actual strength and  (c) numbers fit for duty requirement is for the Royal Navy's Submarine Service.

Bob Ainsworth: The submariner liability at 1 February 2009 is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Submariner liability 
			 Officers 860 
			 Ranks 3,430 
			 Grand total 4,290 
		
	
	The submariner trained regular strength at 1 February 2009 is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Submariner trained regular strength 
			 Officers 940 
			 Ranks 3,370 
			 Grand total 4,310 
		
	
	The apparent surplus of submariner officers and the near balance of submariner ratings masks significant shortfalls in the sea-going population where some ranks/specialisations have insufficient numbers of suitably qualified and experienced personnel.
	Information regarding fit for duty requirement is not currently available. I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State gave on 20 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 1262-64W, to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox). Further information should be available by summer 2009 (subject to validation exercises) using data from the Defence Medical Information Capability programme as identified in the House of Commons Defence Committee Readiness Inquiry.